Toxic Work culture: Celebrating Dysfunction

Let’s be real. You probably have an image in your mind of what work should feel like—a balanced, productive, and fulfilling environment, where passion meets purpose. But let me shatter that illusion for you. In my previous job, I thought I had entered a professional realm that was about growth, learning, and teamwork. It was anything but. The reality was a deeply disturbing work culture—one that fed off of power, exploitation, and degradation. And what was worse? Everyone, including me, was conditioned to think it was normal.

Yes, normal.

Imagine walking into an office where working 10-12 hours wasn’t exceptional but expected—celebrated even. Where “team spirit” meant some officers dozing in their cushy air-conditioned cabins while their subordinates slaved away beneath flickering tube lights. And if you dared look at the clock around 6:00 pm, thinking the day was over, you’d be met with the shocking surprise of a "meeting" scheduled for 6:00 pm. Coincidence? I think not. 

The idea of leaving at your official off-time was not just frowned upon; it was impossible. Why? Because the officers hadn’t left yet, and you better believe you couldn’t leave before them. Does it matter that the meeting was unrelated to your work? Absolutely not. You stayed because, well, that’s just how things worked.

You might think I’m exaggerating, but this was just the tip of the iceberg. The real toxicity went much deeper.

Language of Abuse and Power

One of the first things I learned in that office was the language of power. No, it wasn’t professional jargon or corporate lingo. It was the steady flow of abusive language that permeated every informal conversation. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of working in an office dominated by men over 40, you know what I’m talking about. It wasn’t just derogatory; it was dehumanizing. And yet, many of my colleagues accepted it, even participated in it, believing this was simply the price of fitting in.

But fitting in wasn’t just about enduring verbal abuse. It was about adopting a mindset. A mindset where doing personal work for officers—picking up dry cleaning, booking flights, running errands—was seen as a relief from the stress of actual professional duties. Imagine that: escaping toxic workloads by diving into equally unethical tasks. That was the reality. It was like living in a world turned upside down, where professional integrity had no value, but blind loyalty was gold.

As I reflect on that time, it becomes clear that the environment wasn’t just toxic—it was meticulously engineered to break you down. Work-life balance? A myth. We worked through holidays, festivals, and even during the lockdown. While the world was safely tucked away in their homes, I found myself heading to the office, navigating streets eerily deserted, but my workload as heavy as ever. Was anyone bothered about safety or mental health? Of course not.

The worst part? Any attempt to raise a complaint was met with the threat of resignation. If you weren’t on board with the dysfunction, then you weren’t on board at all. Rules? They existed, but only for those who didn’t fall in line with the toxic power structures. If you provided “benefits” to the right people, those rules magically disappeared.

And let’s not even get started on the extramarital affairs. They were so common they became part of the office gossip, yet no one seemed to care about the havoc they wreaked on professionalism and team dynamics. Personal vendettas stemming from these relationships would often spill over into work, creating an environment where grudges flourished, and work got lost in the chaos of backroom drama.

Beyond the Office Walls: The Larger Crisis

Sadly, my experience is not an isolated case. Toxic work cultures like this are rampant across various sectors in India—tech startups, IT services, banking, media—you name it. From the unrealistic expectations in the fast-paced startup world to the gender and caste-based discrimination still rife in traditional sectors, this is a systemic issue.

As Avijit Pathak in today's Indian Express insightfully argues, the toxic environments we work in are more than just office politics gone awry—they reflect deeper socio-cultural issues. In many Indian organizations, there’s a hierarchical structure that promotes authoritarian leadership. Speaking up is discouraged, dissent is stifled, and even sexual harassment becomes a whisper, hushed until it’s too loud to ignore. And the pandemic? It only made things worse.

The blurred lines between work and personal life became even more indistinguishable during COVID-19. With work-from-home turning into work-from-everywhere-at-any-time, the little semblance of balance employees clung to vanished. The Deloitte study in 2021 noted that 80% of Indian employees reported heightened stress during the pandemic. But did management care? Hardly. Deadlines didn’t stop, and the expectations to perform at impossible levels only grew.

Defining Productivity

The question we need to ask ourselves now is: what is productivity? Is it only about hitting targets, making profits for some faceless corporation? As Avijit Pathak notes, true productivity should be life-affirming, helping us realize that there’s a world beyond the cubicles we inhabit. When did we stop valuing time with family, the peace of a quiet sunset, or the sheer joy of reading poetry?

Work should not feel like a life sentence, but more often than not, it does. We live in an era where we measure success by hours clocked, money earned, and milestones achieved. But success should be about living well—feeling fulfilled, finding meaning in what we do, and being able to disconnect without guilt.

But let’s face it, in the hustle culture so pervasive in India today, saying “no” to a 70-hour work week is seen as a weakness, not a strength. So many of us are trapped in this cycle of alienation, moving further away from what really matters. We’re sold this dream of success, but at what cost?

A Path Forward?

It’s time we collectively realize that this toxic culture is not normal. It’s destructive, dehumanizing, and most of all—it’s unsustainable. There is hope, however. Employees are speaking up. On platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, people are no longer afraid to share their stories. Some companies are slowly starting to introduce wellness programs, but real change will only come when the structures that breed this toxicity are dismantled.

For now, I feel lucky. I’ve moved on to a healthier work environment, one that values balance, diversity, and the human side of work. But for so many others still caught in the grind, it’s a daily battle for dignity, sanity, and peace. 

So, my dear reader, ask yourself this: What price are you willing to pay for success? And is it worth it?